GIA Thailand Presents Jade Seminar

CARLSBAD, Calif. – April 14, 2009 – The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Thailand will present a jade lecture at the 23rd Gemstone Gathering on April 29 at the Tawana Hotel in Bangkok.

Richard Hughes, senior vice president of Gemstone Marketing and Testing, NCS Group Co., Ltd., will discuss its history and origin in “Jade: Stone of Heaven.” His multi-media seminar will include a first-hand account of the mining and trading of this hard-to-find gemstone.

Jade, called the “stone of heaven” by the Chinese, is one of mankind’s most beguiling gemstones, according to Hughes. The term jade includes both nephrite and jadeite, but only jadeite occurs in the coveted “imperial” type, and there is only one source, Upper Burma (Myanmar), which Hughes will focus on during his presentation.

Hughes was a member of the first foreign gemological party allowed into these mines more than 30 years ago in 1996; he has visited twice since.

“Richard carries a wealth of gemological information because he’s traveled to scores of countries in search of new discoveries,” said Kenneth Scarratt, managing director of GIA Southeast Asia and director of the GIA Laboratory in Bangkok. “I am confident his previous experiences will educate and fascinate attendees.”

The 23rd GIA Gemstone Gathering is complimentary and will be held April 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Murano Room on the second floor of the Tawana Hotel, 80 Surawongse Road, Bangkok.

Please RSVP prior to April 28 by contacting the GIA Laboratory Bangkok at (66) 2-632-4090, info@giathai.net or the GIA Thailand campus at (66) 2-237-9575, giathai@ksc.th.com.

For more information, visit www.giathailand.com or www.giathai.net.